


As the Snow Falls

by rekallthirteen



Category: The Hobbit RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Smut, Domestic Fluff, First Meetings, Flashbacks, M/M, Pets, Reflection, Slice of Life, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-13
Updated: 2017-12-13
Packaged: 2019-02-08 14:29:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,387
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12866475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rekallthirteen/pseuds/rekallthirteen
Summary: Outside, the snow is falling. Inside, Lee is cozy and warm as he reminisces upon the day in late May that changed his life forever when a handsome stranger and a small kitten walked into the doggy daycare where he worked.





	As the Snow Falls

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first fic I had the pleasure of writing for the RichLee Holiday Calendar and I hope everyone enjoys it. :)

A light snowfall was beginning to fall outside the window, not yet blanketing the street and sidewalk below with fluffy whiteness as it would still be a few hours from the worst part of the storm. Overnight the snow plows would be out in full force making sure the city didn't creep to halt, although Lee wouldn't object if that did happen. 

In the corner of the living room the Christmas tree was decorated with colourful lights that illuminated the dark room. A smile formed on Lee's face as his eyes fell upon it. That had been a fun experience a few weeks ago on a cold Saturday as they worked together to get the tree up, dragging it home from a place that sold live trees and decorating it with the help of an excited dog jumping around everywhere and a kitten who kept trying to climb it. Even now it was not uncommon to find a black, furry body hiding inside the tree.

Drawing his knees up so that his legs were no longer stretched out along the padded bench which sat in front of the window that overlooked the NYC street below him, Lee took a sip from the wine in glass that was in his hand before reaching down and placing it on the floor next to him. He then picked up his earbuds from where they were dangling from his neck and placed them back into his ears before thumbing through his playlist and selecting a song.

He hoped Richard wouldn't be too much longer. 

A surge of happiness went through him at the mere thought of Richard. It was still hard to believe that things had changed so much in the almost seven months they had been together. Seven months ago it had just been him and Audrey living together alone together in a small apartment, now he had Richard and the cat who had changed both of their lives and now they were about to have their very first Christmas together as a family.

It certainly was not what he expected when he arrived at work that morning in late May.

The weather had been damp that morning after an onslaught of rain for the past several days. Fortunately the rain had halted for a bit giving Lee time to travel to work without getting wet, where he didn't have a long wait before their clients began arriving for the day all with wagging tails and eagerly wanting pats from Lee before they headed off to the common activity room to play with their friends.

When Lee first moved to New York at the young age of twenty-three working at a doggy daycare and hotel was not in his plans at all. Instead it was a corporate job, leaving him wearing a suit and working on a computer all day. Seven years he slaved away, enjoying life but at the same time not really. Boyfriends came and went but the real change in Lee's life happened when he finally found an apartment he liked in a building that allowed dogs. Audrey had been a joy right from the beginning, a medium sized retriever dog with a rusty red coat who was around two years-old when he adopted her.

Lee's initial plan had been a simple one when he adopted her. A walk before work, a quick trip home during his lunch break for another walk and finally the nearby dog park in the evening. That arrangement had only lasted three days since Audrey had more energy than Lee ever expected, which was when he began looking into doggy daycare for her.

Under recommendation he began taking her to a nearby place. Luke, the owner, was a kind and down-to-earth guy despite his wealthy background. He immediately showed interest in not only Audrey but Lee as well who two months later ended up gently letting Luke down because while Luke was nice, he simply wasn't Lee's type. It was a rejection that Luke took in stride and one that didn't affect their bubbling friendship. Luke was the one that Lee eventually confided in when a year later he admitted he wished he could just quit his job and it was also Luke who later offered Lee employment and encouraged him to quit his corporate job. 

Which was the push that Lee needed. Now instead of putting on a suit and tie each day to head to a job he barely tolerated, he went with Audrey and spent his days playing and taking care of other dogs. It was a win-win situation and one that made him so much happier even if he didn't make as much as he use too.

He had been working there a few years when that morning in late May a tall, bearded, blue-eyed man entered with a panicked expression on his face as he held something close to his chest, which Lee could barely see due to the gentle way he held his hands close to his body.

"Do you take care of cats?" he said before Lee could even get out a 'hello'. 

"We do provide overnight boarding," Lee replied, baffled by the situation in front of him and wondering if he should call Luke in from the playroom where he was supervising the group of dogs while Lee managed the front desk, waiting for the last few dogs to arrive for that morning. "Cats are fine on their own at home for the day."

"It's not that," the man said as he opened his hands to reveal a solid black kitten. "I found this little guy crying in the alley around the corner and I'm already late for a meeting that I can miss. I don't know what to do."

There was desperation in his blue eyes which Lee stared at for a moment before flicking his own eyes down to the small kitten who meowed pitifully while trying to press himself closer to the man's chest, either for warmth or because he was scared, Lee wasn't sure which one it was.

"Poor thing," Lee murmured, extending a finger he gently stroked the kitten's neck before lifting his head back up to look at the man, momentarily finding himself lost in those blue eyes, but then the moment passed and he took a step back and held out his hands to take the kitten. "I'll look after him."

Even if the guy never returned Lee wouldn't say no to taking in a cute little kitten. He had been thinking of getting friend for Audrey anyway but was unsure of bringing another dog into the oversized closet that was their apartment. A cat however wouldn't take up much extra room.

With relief in his eyes, the man went to hand over the little fur ball only for the kitten to have other plans, his sharp claws digging into the man's jacket and the little guy had to be pried off before he could be handed over to Lee who immediately started cuddling him.

"I'm Richard," the man said. "I can be back by three to pick him up."

"That's fine." Although he still wasn't entirely convinced that Richard would return by then. Regardless the kitten would be safe and wouldn't have to spend another cold, hungry night on the streets.

After Richard left, Lee carried the kitten to Luke and explained the situation who wasn't exactly thrilled (Luke was way more of a dog person than cat person) but agreed the kitten could stay in his office until Richard returned to pick him up or until he went home with Lee that evening.

Throughout the day Lee would check on the kitten who spent most of his time hiding, but he did however emerge once Lee returned from a nearby pet store with some treats and toys. The little guy was definitely cute as he scampered after the purple ball and then batted around with his paws, running after it again whenever he pushed it too far away.

Unfortunately Lee couldn't spend the entire day with the kitten, he still had the dogs to deal with, not that it was any type of punishment. Lee loved his job and all the wagging tails that came along with it, even if it was fun to sneak away and play with a kitten every so often. He almost wished he would never see Richard again.

But true to his word, Richard returned in the early afternoon to collect the kitten. Lee tried not to remain too disappointed as he handed over the little guy, the toys and the food, waving away any attempt from Richard to cover the costs of the items that Lee had bought.

"It's a gift," he said with a smile as he scratched the kitten under his chin one last time. "Take care of him."

"I'm not really a cat person," Richard admitted, there was however a fondness to his eyes as he spoke. "But I've grown attached to him."

When Richard left Lee didn't expect to see him again. That was why he was surprised when two days later, Richard returned minus the kitten but carrying a dozen cupcakes from a local bakery. 

"I wanted to thank you for taking care of Viola the other day."

Lee's grinned as he tried not to laugh. "Viola?"

"Yeah," Richard replied with a chuckle, "a trip to the vets sorted out that little mixup."

"At least you gave her an appropriate name." At least Lee hoped he guessed right and the kitten was named as the Twelfth Night character who disguised herself as a boy. Sure enough a large smile broke out on Richard's face.

"You like Shakespeare?" 

Lee shrugged, trying to make it seem like it was no big deal. "I was a bit of a theatre nerd in high school, still am, actually, it's one of the reasons why I wanted to move here when I was young." A lot of people had made fun of him in those days, so even in a place like New York, he was reluctant to bring it up. 

Fortunately Richard was not one of those people.

"Have you seen anything interesting lately?" There was an eagerness in his blue eyes that Lee found unable to ignore.

What followed was a fifteen minute discussion on plays that were currently performing in the city, both on broadway and off. It was only when an owner arrived to pick up her dog that Lee excused himself but not before handing Richard a card for the daycare ("Just in case you need someone to look after Viola while you're away.") with the number for his cellphone scribbled on the back.

It took Richard three days before he finally sent a text. Lee had almost given up hope but still accepted the offer of seeing a play that weekend. And then the weekend after that.

A meow caught Lee's attention, bringing him out of the past. That was the only warning he got before the black cat jumped up onto the bench next to him and proceeded to climb her way through the narrow gap in Lee's legs until she was on Lee's lap where she looked up into Lee's face and meowed again.

"You can't be hungry again." Viola's response was another meow, causing Lee to laugh as he petted her, stroking the soft fur on her head. "You are a growing girl, so I guess it's okay. Let's get you some food."

Gathering Viola in his hands he stood up, which didn't go unnoticed. Across the room, where she was stretched out on the couch, Audrey lifted her head at the 'f' word and began wagging her tail, making the sound of soft thumps against the cushion. 

"Sorry, girl, not you, just your sister." And with a heavy sigh Audrey lowered her head, disappointed that once again no treat was coming her way.

Lee chuckled as he carried Viola passed the fireplace where four stockings hung (one for each human and furry person in the family) to the kitchen. The two of them, Audrey and Viola, actually got along surprisingly well, often snuggling together to sleep. But Audrey loved getting any kind of extra treats that she could and wasn't above stealing from Viola to achieve it. 

Of course it hadn't always been that way. 

It had been early in the relationship when they decided that Audrey and Viola should get to know each other. The way Lee's heart would flutter every time Richard would shyly grin at him or the way he would go out of the way to make sure they were often physically touching, told Lee that this was not your average relationship that would fizzle out once the honeymoon period was over. 

(Almost seven months later and Lee was starting to be convinced that the honeymoon period was never going to end).

Already Audrey had gotten use to Richard, while Viola had immediately loved Lee, thinking he was the best thing ever for climbing and she often had to get plucked from his legs whenever he was standing in Richard's apartment which he visited on a regular basis. Often they found excuses to be in each other's apartment, so logically the next step had been to make sure their pets could get along with each other. Eventually the day was arranged, one Saturday morning in late June, when the weather was warm but not quite yet to being the blistering heat of summer.

"We're going to see Richard," Lee said that morning as he clipped the leash to Audrey's collar, which was no easy task as she danced around, her feet spinning her around in a circle. Normally she behaved when going out but Richard's name had sent her into excitement. She liked him and the bellyrubs he provided when Lee's own hand became too tired. It was a good thing, because Lee liked him too.

The walk to Richard's place was twenty minutes, which was good because it gave Audrey time to burn off some energy. At least that's what Lee hope would happen but instead when Richard opened the door to his apartment twenty-five minutes later, Audrey was just as hyper as ever, twisting her body as she danced around in front of Richard trying to get his hands to reach every part of her body.

"I think she loves you more than me," Lee teased when he was finally able to have his own greeting, which was followed by a quick kiss to Richard's lips.

"It's because she doesn't see me as often." 

Lee grinned. "Or is it the treats you feed her when I'm not looking?" That incident had happened two weeks ago and Richard was so overcome with guilt he had admitted to it right away.

"That was only once and she was looking desperately at me with big eyes," Richard said as a chuckle as he stepped aside to let them into his apartment. "She learned it from you, so in reality it's your fault."

"I'll remember that next time I want a treat of my own." All Lee could then do was laugh as he felt the playful smack to his ass.

Lee had always liked Richard's apartment, it felt homely, with plush couches and floor to ceiling bookcases. There was also artwork on the walls, photographs and paintings that reminded Richard of his home in the UK where his family still loved. It was a place that Lee was already looking forward to visiting. There had been guys in the past, but none he felt an immediate connection with like Richard.

And of course there was the giant cat tree in the corner of the living room.

One difference however Lee that did notice from the last time he visited was any surface seemed to be vacant of any objects except for the lamps on the end tables.

"Audrey's not going to knock over anything." While it was true a mug or two was a casualty since adopting her but that was back when she had been younger and harder to control her tail that seemed to have a mind of its own at times.

"That's not it, I trust Audrey." Bending down, Richard patted Audrey on her head. "A certain kitten has discovered the joys of climbing on things when I'm not here and knocking things off them as entertainment. I think she's punishing me."

"You should get her a friend." 

A sour look crossed Richard's face. "No; one cat is enough." 

Lee couldn't help but laugh at his reaction. They had been on only their second date when Richard admitted he never saw himself as a cat person. Dogs he liked, had actually owned a French Bulldog with his ex for three years but when they had broken up, Todd, who Richard had previously thought was a nice guy even during their breakup, had convinced Richard that it would be better for him to keep Teddy since he had more flexible hours and the promise that Richard could visit when he wanted. That arrangement lasted six months before Todd had moved to Florida, taking Teddy with him, since then Richard had been too broken-hearted to think about getting another dog even though it was now a year later. Over the past month Lee had tried convincing him he was really a cat person in disguise with the way he loved spoiling Viola.

"Where's Viola?" Lee asked, glancing around the room. For the time being he was keeping Audrey on her leash since he didn't want her running after Viola upon laying eyes on the kitten.

"In the bedroom," Richard replied, nodding his head towards that direction. "I borrowed a baby gate from Graham. I figured this way they could see each other but be kept separated."

Graham was one of Richard's oldest friends and it had been on a trip to visit Graham that convinced Richard to also move to the US. It was a decision he didn't regret even though he admitted to Lee that there were times he missed living in the UK. 

"Good idea." They had both read up on the Internet the best way to introduce the two, but even then it didn't stop nerves from getting in the way. In the back of his head, Lee couldn't help but wonder what would happen to his relationship with Richard if Audrey and Viola couldn't get along. He didn't want to lose Richard, but he also had to think about Audrey before anyone else.

Unclipping the leash, it didn't take Audrey long to start investigating the new smells in the apartment and from there it was only a matter of time before her noise led her to the baby gate that was currently blocking off Richard's bedroom from the rest of the apartment. Viola couldn't be seen but that didn't deter Audrey who seemed to know something was in the room she wasn't allowed into. She gave a friendly bark and then laid and waited as she wagged her tail.

Behind Audrey, Lee watched as there was silence for a few short moments before Viola stuck her head out from underneath the bed. With a meow of curiosity, she crawled out from under the bed and carefully made her way over to the gate, unsure of the dog who was so much bigger than her.

"It's okay," Richard encouraged. "Audrey is a friend."

At the sound of her name an excited woof escaped Audrey which caused Viola to hop in the air, twisting her body before she landed and scampered back the way she came disappearing from sight once again.

"Maybe we should let her be for awhile," Lee suggested, not wanting Richard to get discouraged, and to keep himself from thinking the same. He so badly wanted things to work out between them. "She just needs some time."

Calling for Audrey, they retreated back to the living room. The plan had been to spend the morning at a nearby park with Audrey but a quick glance out the window suddenly changed those plans. Despite reports that the weather was supposed to be sunny all day, in the few minutes they had been distracted a steady fall of rain had begun.

"Want to watch a movie instead?" Richard asked. "Hopefully the rain will be over by the end." 

It was a good suggestion. A few weeks ago Lee had admitted that Audrey was named after Audrey Hepburn and Richard's eyes had lit up which had been the start of a conversation that had lasted for hours about their favourite old time movies and stars. It was one of the many things that they had bonded over in the past month.

They settled together on the couch with Audrey on the floor with a plush dog toy that was in the shape of a yellow duck. Lee had brought the toy with them with plans to leave it there so that Viola would get use to something with Audrey's scent on it. Audrey had plenty of toys at home and wouldn't miss one, especially if she was going to be spending more time at Richard's place and Lee hoped she would.

The movie they decided on was not an Audrey Hepburn one but rather 'Harvey' starring James Stewart as eccentric bachelor who's best friend was a giant invisible rabbit. It was one they had both seen before, which was perfectly fine with Lee, the squeaking and low growls as Audrey tossed her toy about was a distraction, as was the way Richard's hand felt on his thigh, creating a warmth even through the layer of jeans he wore. There was also the way that Richard leaned into Lee's touch as he slipped his arm around Richard's shoulders, his blue eyes focused on Lee rather than the screen in front of them.

It really was a shame that Viola was stuck in the bedroom.

Not that they necessarily needed a bedroom.

With a grin he leaned forward, the feeling of their lips together simply intoxicating, like a drug that Lee never wanted to give up on. Even though it had only been a month, he already knew he loved the man next to him and wanted to spend the rest of his life with him.

And then he realized the squeaking, which had consistent until then, had stopped. "Where's Audrey?" 

As they untangled from each other, the only reply he got from Richard was a low groan of protest. Lee wasn't happy either and while he liked to think he could trust Audrey it concerned him that she could be up to no good.

Neither one had long to think though when Audrey came bounding back into the living room, and she wasn't alone. Bouncing after Audrey, acting a lot bigger than what she really was, was Viola. 

"How did she escape?" Richard asked and Lee could only shrug his shoulders in response. 

"I don't know."

Coming to a stop, Audrey turned to make sure the kitten was still coming after her to find that Viola had stopped as well. The kitten was sitting back on her haunches, her front paws in the air, shadow boxing, until a gentle nudge from Audrey's nose caused her to lose her balance and topple over. Not to be deterred, she quickly got back to her feet and pounced towards Audrey, only barely missing her and making both Lee and Richard to laugh at their antics. 

The rain never did move on the way it was supposed to that day. Not that it mattered. Audrey and Viola had kept them entertained playing together until they both passed out with Viola snuggling against Audrey's side. Later on they did get to enjoy a movie together, until it got interrupted for different reasons entirely. Since then Lee regularly brought Audrey over to Richard's place until the day came when it was decided they wanted to move in together.

"There," Lee said as he placed the plate of tuna on the floor in front of Viola, "your late night meal is served, your highness."

'Late night' definitely was the wrong term, it just felt like it with the way it got dark so early in the evenings. Richard wasn't even back yet, insisting he had some Christmas shopping to do that evening. Lee had simply smiled and shook his head when Richard left, it was clear from his caginess who he was shopping for. Lee didn't mind, it was their first Christmas together and there was a strong desire from both of them to make it memorable with the perfect presents. 

Fortunately they had already tackled the more important presents together; Lee's nephews in Texas and Richard's nieces in the UK, along with the rest of their families. In a week they would be flying together to the UK although they were planning on having a private celebration before they left to exchange more intimate presents together and so that Audrey and Viola could get their own presents before they would be boarded with Luke who had already assured them the two would be spoiled rotten while they were gone.

Lee just hoped that Richard's family liked him as much as his own liked Richard when they had visited Texas a few weeks ago for Thanksgiving. 

He knew Richard had been nervous that day a month ago when they had headed down to Texas. Since moving to the US most of his Thanksgivings were quiet affairs, usually with Graham's family or with other friends who had no family or no time off to get home. Even the Todd years was just dinners with Todd's parents, the turkey being the only thing that set it apart from other meals with them. Thanksgiving in Lee's family was the exact opposite. Thirty family and friends had been at the celebration that year, a lot of food and a lot of laughs, the casual, fun atmosphere making the transition easier for Richard, especially since he wasn't the only new person there that year.

The week had been a good one with both his parents and his sister loving Richard, claiming he was the best boyfriend that Lee ever had, which he didn't disagree with. Not that Lee had any doubts that they wouldn't like Richard. Despite his shyness with Lee in the beginning, Richard could be completely charming when he wanted to be.

A noise at the door caught Lee's attention and he wasn't the only one. There was a thump from the living room, followed by a flash of reddish-brown fur as Audrey went racing to the door. Glancing down at Viola, Lee saw that she appeared to be mulling over her options, finish her tuna, or go greet her daddy as well. In the end she wolfed down the rest in a single bite before dashing after her older sister, leaving Lee in the kitchen laughing at her, quieting only when he heard Richard's voice among the whines and meows.

"I wasn't gone that long!"

Which only caused him to laugh harder.

A moment later Richard poked his head into the kitchen with flakes of snow still stuck in his hair and behind him trailed Audrey and Viola, still not wanting to let him out of their sights since he had abandoned them for the past two hours, forced to spend that time in a cozy apartment with their other dad. 

"You already got the presents stashed away in a safe spot?" Lee teased, his grin growing at the way Richard blushed, even after so many months together Lee still found it adorable whenever Richard would get embarrassed. 

Picking up Viola, Richard cuddled her to his chest, an avoidance tactic. "I don't know what you're talking about."

It was a blatant lie. Anyone else and Richard would have invited Lee along with him. Normally Lee would let it go, but maybe it was the wine he had been drinking earlier or maybe because he had simply been lost in the fond memories of the past, so instead Lee hooked his long fingers around the loops at the waist of Richard's jeans and tugged him closer, his breath hot against Richard's ear. "Really? Because if you're lying, I might have to do something about that…"

Lee had to bite back his laugh as Richard's cheeks grew redder. Experimenting with toys was a new hobby of theirs after Richard had shyly mentioned he wanted to try some things he had thought about but never trusted someone enough to make some of his fantasies a reality (the one time he had brought up the subject with Todd, he had been shot down quickly). It was nothing too extreme, handcuffs and blindfolds for the most part but also vibrators of various shapes and sizes and a paddle. 

"I may have stashed anything I bought in Graham's hall closet before returning home."

"But I can't snoop there," he whined. Richard really wasn't playing fair. His own presents for Richard were hidden around the apartment, but he trusted Richard to not go looking for them. 

It was Richard's turn to laugh as he put down Viola so his arms were free to wrap around Lee's waist. "That's why I did it." Lee mumbled a small protest, one that vanished from his mind when Richard's lips touched his own; it was light and playful and just what Lee needed. "Although I must admit, the idea of punishing you after catching you snooping did cross my mind." 

"You don't need an excuse to punish me."

A sly smirk crossed Richard's face, long gone was the man who spent three days wondering if he should contact Lee or not after their second encounter. "I'll keep that in mind for another time."

With a happy smile, Lee reached toward Richard and gently brushed the remaining traces of snow from Richard's hair before leaning in for another kiss, their lips lingering together as Lee moved his hands down to Richard's neck, gently touching him, his thumbs moving lightly across Richard's beard and enjoying the way Richard pulsed under his fingertips.

"I get the feeling there's going to be no 'Miracle on 34th Street' tonight," Richard murmured, referring to their previous plans before he had gone out that evening.

"If you insist…"

Quickly Richard cut him off with another kiss, his hands on Lee's hips, tugging him closer followed by a teasingly shallow thrust of his hips, which caused Lee to grin, getting the impression that Richard didn't care one bit if they skipped the movie.

Sliding his hands downward Lee eventually reached the hem of the sweater that Richard wore. Slipping his hands under the thick, warm fabric and the shirt that Richard wore underneath it, he held his palms flat against Richard's stomach before moving them to his back, his fingers dipping down into the waist of his jeans, resulting in a moan of approval from Richard. 

Moving carefully, Lee backed Richard up until he heard the sound of slight bump as his ass came in contact with the island located in the middle of the kitchen. It was then when Lee took a moment to step away, his hands moving back to Richard's sweater and shirt and in a swift movement tugged them over his head, leaving his chest bare and discarding the clothes to the floor somewhere behind him. 

But instead of allowing himself a moment to admire the sight before him, Lee moved forward, their lips crashing together once again and their arms tangling around each other with Lee loving the way that Richard desperately tugged at his shirt, silently demanding that it be removed as well.

It was a request that Lee couldn't deny him and his own shirt quickly joined the floor's rapidly growing collection.

"Lee..." Richard's voice was quiet as he moved his hands Lee's chest, finally coming to a rest on Lee's heart and it took everything within his power to not grab those hands and pull them up to his lips so he could kiss the fingertips. 

His heart fluttered as their eyes met, there was such love and devotion written across Richard's face, Lee really wasn't sure how he got through life before they met that day back in late May. "Bed?" 

Richard nodded his head.

It wasn't that they were against having sex in the kitchen, god only knew how many times the island saw action even before they moved in together, but at the moment Lee didn't want just sex. He wanted more than the frantic tearing off clothings and getting each other off as fast as possible. That was certainly fun, but not what he wanted at the moment.

Richard took his hand and he allowed himself to be dragged towards their bedroom. Fortunately when they arrived the bed was free, which was not always the case with a dog and a cat who felt they owned everything in the apartment. Behind them Lee closed the door to make sure there were no interruptions, the last thing he wanted was a wet nose where it didn't belong, an occurrence which had happened more than once.

Near the door he stood, watching as Richard finished undressing, his eyes falling to the sight of the fine ass before him, his cock stirring in anticipation still trapped behind his jeans. 

As Richard climbed onto the bed, he turned to look at Lee, a sly smile on his face. "Are you ever going to join me?"

In a flash Lee was across the room, meeting Richard on the bed, kneeling in front of each other, their tongues and hands enjoying the feeling of each other as they explored the other's body. Eventually Richard's hands made their way down to the button of Lee's jeans and he popped it open before pulling the zipper downward and allowing himself to touch Lee's cock through his boxer briefs. 

"Rich, don't tease me."

"But it's fun." Nonetheless as Lee lifted his hips, Richard shoved down both his jeans and boxer briefs all the way down his long legs until they were completely off, which were quickly joined by Lee's socks, leaving him completely naked.

With the offending material gone, Richard bent forward, taking Lee into his mouth. A hiss escaped Lee, followed by a groan as he felt Richard's tongue get to work, running along the underside of his cock before hollowing his cheeks and sucking, taking as much of Lee into his mouth that he could.

Lost in bliss, Lee could do nothing but throw his head back, close his eyes and drag his fingers through Richard's soft hair, another moan leaving him as he felt Richard's hand at the base of his cock, moving in tandem with his mouth. The hand remained as his mouth went lower to Lee's balls, taking a moment to gently pull them one at time into his mouth to suck on them before returning to Lee's cock, dragging his tongue over the tip one last time before pulling away, a satisfied smirk on Richard's face.

"Why did you stop?" He knew he sounded whiny but he didn't care.

"I was simply making sure you were interested."

"I'm always interested for you." 

Grabbing Richard, Lee kissed him hard, pressing Richard backwards until he was sprawled on his back with Lee looming over top of him, bracing himself on his forearms as he grinded downward, watching in amusement as Richard's mouth fell open in pure bliss as their cocks connected with each other.

His mouth fell to the crook of Richard's neck, mouthing lightly, his tongue moving lazily, simply enjoying the taste of Richard and the moans coming from Richard which increasingly got louder, which only encouraged Lee as he bit down gently, enjoying the whimper that escaped him.

"Stop teasing."

"But it's fun," Lee said, mimicking Richard's words from earlier, a smirk on his face. Despite his words however, Lee reached over to the bedside table and found the lube they kept there.

Reluctantly removing himself from Richard's body, he poured a generous amount over his fingers and then immediately got distracted by the sight before him as an impatient Richard, his hand on his own cock, pumping lazily as he waited for for Lee to hurry up.

"I guess you don't need me."

Halting his actions, Richard held out his arms towards Lee, a lazy grin on his face. "I always need you."

Falling forward into Richard's arms, kissing him, his hand slipping down to Richard's entrance, his finger circling lightly around the rim before slipping inside, loving the way Richard arched his hips and rose to meet him, wanting more. It was a request that Lee was more than willing to give even while distracted by the way Richard's tongue pressed against his own. He tasted so good.

After a moment Lee pulled back again, a whine of frustration escaping Richard. "Why do you keep leaving me?"

"Patience," Lee replied with a laugh as he took a quick second to apply lube to his own cock before lining up and giving a push as he slipped inside Richard, relishing the feeling of having simply _Richard_ around him as he bottomed out and glad when they made the decision a few months ago to get tested and forgo condoms. There was simply something intimate about having no barriers between them and the knowledge that they trusted each other so much.

He couldn't wait any longer.

So he began moving. Easy, shallow, almost lazy trusts, not yet desperate enough to go faster; pulling halfway out before sliding in again and repeating the process. There was no rush, they had all night, simply enjoying each other's company.

A blissful expression was on Richard's face, his head thrown back, neck exposed, eyelashes flickering as Richard struggled to keep his eyes open, not wanting to miss anything, loving the feel of Lee inside him just as much as Lee loved being in him.

Their mouths met and they lazily kissed as they rocked together, Richard's hard cock trapped between their bodies. His arms draped over Lee's shoulders in a desperate need to pull him closer, like he never wanted to let Lee go. 

And that was perfectly okay with Lee.

But eventually it became not enough.

"Lee…" he panted, a silent request and one that Lee couldn't ignore.

With one last quick kiss to Richard's lips, Lee pulled back, his cock momentarily slipping out as he shifted, hearing a whine of protest from Richard in the process, which he ignored as threw one of Richard's legs over his shoulder and pushed his way back inside with a snap of his hips that caused Richard to moan in pleasure as Lee began trusting with a new, frantic, pace.

His eyes fell to Richard's cock, hard and looking ready to burst. It was so tempting to touch him but he was worried that it would mess up his rhythm, so there was only one solution. "Touch yourself."

For a brief moment Lee wondered if Richard was going to agree, he looked quite content with his arms above his head and the blissful look on his face. It made Lee wonder if he had even heard them. But then with a groan, his arms moved, his hands first sliding down his chest, every so slowly, until they reached his cock, gripping it before running his hands along the length of it, using the pre-come as a slickness to make things easier.

If Lee could take it into his mouth he would. 

Mentally he stored that thought away for morning. After all it would be a nice way to wake Richard up. They had the day off and Richard typically liked sleeping in when he didn't have to work, which meant Lee would have the advantage of being awake first.

"Lee…" He was panting Lee's name now, a sure sign that he was close. "You make me feel so good." Lee himself was also close, a few more thrusts was all it was going to take, but he wanted to watch Richard come first.

"Don't hold back."

Their eyes met. The look in Richard's eyes, which Lee knew matched his own, was an unspoken sign of love and affection exchanged between them, and that was all that Richard needed as he came, his come splattering his stomach as he fell back, exhausted.

With a final snap of his hips, Lee found his own release, and when he finally stilled, he gingerly pulled out of Richard and flopped down next to him, an arm thrown across Richard's chest as they cuddled together with Lee resting his head on Richard's shoulder who lazily moved his hand across Lee's back.

They stayed together like that for a few minutes before Lee slipped out of the bed and disappeared into the bathroom, returning a moment later with a warm wash cloth which he used to clean Richard up before carelessly throwing it to the floor where it could be picked up tomorrow. He then returned to the bed, curling once again at Richard's side.

"I love you." Richard's voice was soft and sleepy. There was little doubt in Lee's mind that he was about ready to pass out but it warmed Lee, knowing that Richard had stayed awake long enough to whisper those little words that still caused his heart to flutter every time he heard it.

"I love you too," he replied as he closed his eyes and allowed sleep to overtake him. It was the truth. Even though they had been together for not quite seven months, he already knew he loved Richard with his whole heart.

It was still dark when Lee woke. 

And he was alone. The familiar presence of Richard snuggled behind him as they spooned was missing and a shiver went through him, cold without the warmth that Richard provided him.

With his long arms he reached over the side of the bed and groped until he found his jeans, tugging them towards him until he fished his phone from a pocket before throwing the jeans away again, not caring where they landed, instead focusing his attention on the phone where the display read 3:13 am. 

It was certainly odd for Richard to be missing.

And Lee wouldn't be able to rest until he found him.

A chill went through Lee as he tossed the blankets off of him and stood up. He quickly made his way to the dresser where he found a pair of sweatpants and pulled them on, not knowing or even caring if they were his own or if they belonged to Richard. He also found a sweater (definitely Richard's) and put it on as well, rubbing his arms as he warmed himself up before being the search for his missing lover.

It didn't take him long to find Richard. He was on the same padded bench by the window that Lee had occupied earlier that evening, sitting sideways so that he could look out at the city before him, and he was not alone. Next to him on the bench was Audrey, resting her head on his thigh, using his leg as a pillow as she slept, and on his lap, Viola, curled up and asleep as well. 

Nearby the Christmas tree was still lit, the only light source coming from the room. 

Sitting down behind Richard, Lee wrapped an arm around his waist and buried his face between Richard's shoulder blades. He felt as Richard leaned into his embrace and he smiled, he was tired and it was the middle of the night but there was no where else he would rather be.

"It's beautiful."

Raising his head, Lee looked out the window to see what Richard was talking about. The snow was still falling, heavier than it had been before, and the way it illuminated off the city lights was indeed beautiful.

"Yeah," Lee agreed, pulling Richard closer. 

He loved Richard and loved every moment they experienced together no matter how small it was. And he was confident that they would have many more Christmases together until they were old and grey because they were simply meant to be together.


End file.
